KARM, located at 418 N. Broadway, offers job training, meals and an overnight shelter for the local homeless population. VMC is located just up the road at 511 N. Broadway and offers services to prevent homelessness, with a goal of finding permanent, supportive housing for homeless individuals.

As of 4 p.m.Thursday, 67 people responded on Facebook that they are going to Rodney's celebration. Another 247 marked they were interested.

"Thank you Rodney for reminding us on the cusp of Thanksgiving that someone with so little can give so much," reads the event description. "Happy Thanksgiving 'Our Friend.'"

In 2006, when West was facing a sentence for laundering drug money, Rodney wrote a letter to the judge.

Rodney Fuson, who walked Knoxville's streets for years doing card tricks, selling socks and giving out hugs, died Monday.

Bill Foster

"Dear Judge Phillips," the letter read. "My name is Rodney. Although I am homeless, Scott West has always been good to me and treated me with respect. I am writing to ask that you be lenient in your sentencing of him."

The letter was one of many showing support, but Rodney's stood out, West said.

"It was probably one of the only letters that was handwritten, and it seems like there may have been misspellings, which made it even more endearing," he said.

But Rodney touched many more lives beyond West. He offered his belt and umbrella to strangers, walked people to their cars late at night and became the subject of a song by The Black Lillies.

"He was part of the community and the Knoxville family and the downtown family community," said Cruz Contreras of The Black Lillies. "You have all these different characters, and he was a major character. He will be missed and remembered.”

Leslie Berez met Rodney roughly 15 years ago. She planned to have a service for Rodney if he was not claimed, but his family has since come forward and will handle the arrangements, she said.

Berez said she still plans on honoring Rodney through a candlelight vigil and that more details will be announced at a later date.